


If They Come Back to Bite You, Embrace Them

by umidra



Category: Gintama
Genre: Alcohol, Angst, Blood and Violence, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Childhood Friends, Childhood Trauma, Depression, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Forced Prostitution, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Inappropriate Humor, Joui War, Prostitution, Teenage Drama, teenage angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-01
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-05-07 09:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5451914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/umidra/pseuds/umidra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><div class="center">
  <p>Harumi lives with the faces of her fallen comrades etched in her mind. A life harrowed since childhood, further thrown into chaos during her adolescent years. The source of her suffering centers around her time as her male alias: Hiromi, a time when she had long forgotten the feeling of being a woman. The most vivid of her nightmares arise from those troubled  years, terrorizing her well into her now adult life. </p>
  <p>She wants to forget.</p>
  <p>But if she does, that would mean erasing her beloved from her mind.</p>
  <p>(Eventually the story will touch upon on all the characters and tags, I've prematurely tagged them for now)</p>
  <div class="center"></div>
</div>
            </blockquote>





	1. Savior

**Author's Note:**

> IM SORRY I HAVENT UPDATED IM TRYING MY BEST TO BALANCE SCHOOL AND WRITING  
> I'LL TRY AND UPDATE AS SOON AS I CAN

_She had woken up cold._

Yesterday when the bitter frost of a weakening Winter nipped her skin, she had curled herself around that soft and worn cloth to keep warm. An old, kind neighbor had given it to her after hearing of her parents financial situation. That old woman had felt pity for her, seeing her shiver violently like a flower blasted by cold wind. So, the soft patchwork blanket that was worn from countless nights of use had fallen into the young girl's possession.   
But it was gone.  
  
She almost expected such.

Her oh so loving "parents" took everything from her. All the clothes, all the cleansing products, the old sandals, even the hair clips and accessories. 

Everything. Taken and sold.

The money back from the pawn shops would be enough for gambling or alcohol, and each time, the two figures who took her in as parents would splurge on either of the two. Alcoholic gamblers. Great parent figures if you asked her. 

Shaking from the cold, Harumi stood up, flinching immediately and grasping onto the wall next to her. The new, dark purple bruise on her calf ached. Her body was bruised and cut all over, but this particular injury hurt the most, fresh from the beating her "father" gave her for simply looking at him when he came home. Her "mother" hadn't even come back from whatever work she supposedly does, but she could care less.

Sliding open the door to her room (which doubled as a closet), she looked around. The kitchen was empty of all life and of any edible nutrition. Deeming it safe, she stepped out onto the dirt floor, her calloused, dirty, bare feet kicking up a small cloud of dust as she quickly ran out of the house.

"Harumi! Good morning!" One of the neighborhood's elders called out to her, causing her to abruptly stop in her tracks. He was holding a bag of groceries in his hand, the other held a colorful pinwheel of light blue and orange. Smiling and swiftly bowing to him, she darted out of the neighborhood and into the shopping district.

It was always busy, but even more so as the weekend approached. Today was no exception as people hurried around to gather their groceries. There were also many people just wandering around store to store, trying out foods and window shopping. There were a quite a few kids playing games between the crowds of people, and Harumi wished she could join them. But she had more important things to take care of. She manuevered her way through the crowds with ease, ducking into a ramen shop.

"Haru-chan! You've come back to help again huh?" The shop owner grinned delightedly at the young girl who simply nodded, pulling her beautiful crimson hair up into a ponytail. "I'm just about to open the store for the lunch rush, could you set up the tables please?" With a light smile, the young girl nodded again. Tying on an apron, she quickly started to wipe down the tables, trying her best not to be distracted by the noise outside. She saw kids run by briefly, colorful pinwheels merely blurs as they whirled in the wind.

 

* * *

 

Harumi sat on a chair at the bar, relaxing as she eagerly waited for her bowl of ramen. "You worked hard again as always Haru-chan." The shopkeeper praised, stirring the broth of ramen with a steady hand. "It's the least I can do for you, since allowing me to spend time here away from my parents..." The young girl's voice trailed off at the mention of her home life, her smile fading as she subconsciously touched the bruises on her legs. Sensing the girl's change in mood, the shopkeeper smiled as she turned around, presenting the girl with a bowl of steaming hot ramen.

"Eat up! I gave you extra pork for doing such a good job today." With a bright smile, the girl perked up, clasping her hands together. "Thank you for the food!" She chimed before picking up her chopsticks and soup spoon, dipping it into the warm broth.

Bringing the flavorful soup to her mouth, she sighed in content as she began chowing down, slurping up the ramen hungrily. She couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten so well for a straight week. As she shoveled a piece of pork into her mouth, the sound of the shop's curtains being pushed aside sounded in her ears.

"Welcome!" The shop keeper said, motioning to the customer to come in. "Sit wherever you like! You just missed our busiest time." Harumi continued on eating, scarfing down the egg. She paused, chewing the mouthful slowly when the customer pulled out the chair next to her. Looking up slowly, she took in the figure of a man sitting beside her.

He looked young. The long, greyish brown hair just barely reaching past his shoulders framed his somewhat pale face. He was wearing a cool, light silvery grey haori over a warm grey kimono. Feeling the young girl staring at him, he turned to look at her, and she jumped a little as her faded blue eyes connected with his bright grey ones. All in all, he was very... grey. Harumi brushed his presence off with a swallow, bringing more noodles to her mouth. He seemed bland. But there was no ignoring that air of kindness around him.

"Hello there! You seem to be enjoying your meal." He said, his voice smooth to the young girl's ears. She finished chewing her noodles and swallowed, nodding at his question. "Then... I'll have what she's having please." The man said towards the shopkeeper, who smiled at him. "Coming right up!" Smiling, the man looked back towards the girl, who was drinking the rest of the broth from her bowl. His eyes narrowing slightly upon noticing the bruising on her legs, but he said nothing when the girl set her bowl down, sighing contently with her finished meal.

"Here you are sir!" The shop owner's voice broke him out of his thoughts as she set down a bowl of ramen in front of her. "Thank you for the meal." He said as he began to eat. "And for you Haru-chan..." The man turned his eyes to see the shop owner setting down a glass of a pink liquid in front of the girl. The girl looked absolutely elated, chugging down the glass. 

He blinked in surprise, analyzing the girl's overall appearance carefully before going back to eating his meal. "This is delicious." He remarked, beginning to drink the soup. "Thank you ahah! The recipe has been in my family for 80 years." The shopkeeper replied, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "So, what brings you around here?"

"I'm passing through here, but I came to see the rumors of a "Corpse Eating Demon," have you heard anything of it?"

Harumi set down her glass and looked curiously at the man. She'd heard her parents talk about it once before. They were in fact in the midst of a war, but she didn't understand what exactly they were fighting, or who they were fighting. She knew they were from space, but she didn't understand why they were here. The supposed demon was said to have been born from all the chaos created from the fighting, eating the bodies of the dead soldiers after each battle. The girl shivered. It was a bit frightening to hear about that sort of thing, but she was intrigued at the same time, even if it was a rumor.

"Oh yeah, I sure have. People have been saying that it's around the outskirts of the town in the battlefields out there. Pretty concerning if you ask me." The shopowner replied, taking the man's bowl and Harumi's glass to the sink. The man nodded thoughtfully, his hand on his chin. "I wouldn't dwell on it if I were you. Rumor or not, it involves the battlegrounds of those _Amanto,_ and I would want avoid something like that." The shopkeeper continued, turning around, noticing the curtains of her store being pushed aside.

"Welcome–" She stopped, her kind eyes narrowing.

" **HARUMI**."

The girl froze, her eyes widening in fear. "This is where you've been? I thought your mother and I told you to stay at home when we're gone." The usually concerned question came out like a threat as Harumi's father angrily entered the store. "Don't think you're so slick, slippin away like that. My friend's have been telling me all about your shennanigans." The girl said nothing, frozen in terror as her father snatched her wrist, his grip vice-like as he sharply tugged her off the high stool. "We're going home."

"N-no."

Shakily, the girl tried to tug herself away, her eyes trying to signal the shop keeper. "Oi, dont be so harsh with her." The woman said, but her father snapped at her. "Mind your own fucking business." "Let me go!" Harumi cried, frantically squirming in the aggressive male's grip. "Shut it." He snarled, and he tightened his grasp on her wrist so much she thought if he held her any tighter her wrist would break.

"That's no way to speak to a child."

The greyish-brown haired man's voice sounded through the air, and he stood up. "Who might you be, butting into a family affair?" Harumi's father growled, glaring at the man. "Someone who can take care of a child." The man replied, and his eyes were cold and chilling as they seared into the other man's.

" _Let her go_." His voice was sharp.

Glaring into each other's eyes, Harumi's father dropped her wrist, but swung at the grey eyed man.

Catching his swing with ease, the man hit her father's face with his palm. Harumi stood, shocked as her father flew backwards and crashed into the floor of the shop, unconscious.

"Are you alright, Harumi?"

The voice of the man who saved her broke the silence of the air. She looked up, her eyes wide as she stepped closer to the man. His eyes were back to their gentle demeanor and looked worried as he earnestly searched for any more wounds on her.

"I... I'm fine..." She whispered, shaking.

 _What was going on?_    
Everything happened so fast. First her father entered the store, and he tried to take her away but... Now he was on the ground unconscious, blood coming out of his mouth. But this man, the man in front of her who worriedly looked for any other injuries on her whom she met no less than thirty minutes ago, saved her from him. Why? And now what? If she went back home, her father surely....

"You should take her."

The shop owner's voice was ragged as she took her apron off, pulling her hair out of its ponytail. "Harumi's better off with you, I can see that even without knowing your backstory or motives. You radiate kindness..." A tired smile graced the woman's lips. "Maybe she'll finally be able to have a chance at life. I certainly couldn't do it." The man looked at the small girl, who suddenly looked more frail than he thought. She was so young, so delicate, and she already had such an injustice brought upon her at such a young age. "I'll take care of the bastard over there, just... take her and go." Standing up, the man extended his hand to the crimson haired girl. She stared, wide eyed.  
"What do you say? Do you want to come with me?" He asked, his eyes soft as he held his hand out.

Harumi's eyes glimmered. Staring at his hand, she raised her hand up hesitantly, pausing to look up at him. Seeing his reassuring, gentle eyes, she smiled brightly.  
"Mhm!" With a smile, the man grasped her hand tightly, protectively. It was comforting.  
"Well Harumi..." The shop owner smiled down at the young girl, who blinked up at her. "If you ever decide to come back... you're always welcome here." Feeling her eyes prick with tears, the girl nodded, quickly rubbing her eyes with her free hand. "Thank you..." She whispered, sniffing. With a nod, the woman disappeared in the back.

"Let's go now, we don't want him waking up." The man said lightly, gently tugging the girl out the shop and down the street. Everything seemed normal. Kids were running around laughing and playing. People were shopping, weaving to and from each store. The streets were still crowded. From somewhere behind her, Harumi heard a windchime.   
"Oh, pardon my rudeness." She looked up, surprised to see his kind eyes twinkling at her with mirth. "I haven't introduced myself yet." Pausing, he slowed in his walking as he smiled at her. A rack of those colorful pinwheels spun as the wind blew, the colorful blurs that would've distracted her only a dash of color in her eyes as her eyes focused on his gentle grin.

"My name is Shouyou Yoshida. But please, just call me Shouyou."


	2. Ready?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO SORRY THIS CHAPTER IS REALLY SHORT AND REALLY SHITTY  
> NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE BETTER I PROMISE  
> also I might be doing a story for Prince of Tennis so watch out for that c:

_“How long have you been living with those people?”_

 

Harumi looks up from her meal of miso and grilled fish, her mouth full of rice. Shouyou can’t help but chuckle at her, to which she hurriedly swallows her mouthful whole. Washing it down with some miso soup, she wipes her mouth before answering him (a little bashfully).

“Three… years I think.”

Her soft voice, with large pale blue orbs tentatively connecting with the grey across the table, did not match the animalistic devouring of the meal. But shyly, she looked away when he gave her a small grin.

Their journey together thus far had been a slow build of trust, with the crimson haired girl tentatively opening up to the grey haired man. She referred to him as “Shouyou-san,” though recently she occasionally called him “Sensei” when he told her of his plans to open up a school. She sought his hand each time they went somewhere crowded, wrapping her small hand around his fingers.

He was getting to know his new companion as well. He found that she had an enormous appetite (that seemed to never be satiated, even when she said she was full), had a slyer and cunning side to her innocent demeanor, and loved strawberry milk (which was the strange pink liquid he had seen her drink when they first met). He watched in amusement as she finished the fish and scarfed down the rest of her rice, slurping down the soup with a satisfied sigh.

Reaching over an eating what little was left over of the rice and seaweed, he finished up the morsels, placing down a few bills as payment. “Ready to go?”

Wiping her mouth, the girl jumped up excitedly, latching onto the man’s side.

“Are we gonna see the demon today?”

He looks thoughtfully at her as they entered the street, keeping close to the shops lined down the dusty, crowded path.

“Perhaps we will... Perhaps we will.” And for a second, her face shows worry. Despite her apparent apprehension, she still bounces in excitement. The rumors and stories she’d been hearing these past few years... They could finally be proven or put to rest.

Humming happily, she walks with Shouyou through the street, watching the people around her. She had learned to observe and take in the new environments she was in. She had seen more people and tried more things than she had in her five years of living. She liked it with him. Shouyou-sensei showed her the world.

She tightened her grip on his hand, looking up at him as they weaved seamlessly through the crowds. She stumbled just slightly, tripping over her own feet. She was still getting used to his pace, and the way he walked. Her small legs moved twice as fast to catch up with a single stride of his.

However… she was a bit distracted.

“Shouyou-san…"

He could feel her pull him to a shop across the street.  
For someone so young, she had immense physical strength. He looked at her carefully, thinking of something before stowing it in the back of his mind.

“Look look! Don’t they look pretty?”

He peered through the window of a bakery, watching as she drooled at the sight of the meticulously decorated cakes and cookies. Her eyes gleamed in happiness.

“They look so nice… what do they taste like?”

He smiled, tugging her gently towards the entrance. “How about we see?”

With eyes sparkling like the sea, she squeals in excitement and pulls the man into the store, almost immediately abandoning his hand and going like a magnet to the different cakes and breads on display. She looked like a bee going flower to flower for pollen. “Sensei, sensei!” Her bright smile and eager voice make him smile, tilting his head. “Did you find one you liked?”

The worker who stood nearby knelt down to the small girl’s height, pointing to the pastry. “That’s called an éclair. It’s a pastry that’s filled with cream and coated in chocolate.” The girl looks back at the tall grey haired man, who nods in approval. “If that’s the one you want.” The worker smiles and puts two of the pastries into a cute box, handing it to the young girl. “There you are honey~!”

Her eyes are beaming. “Thank you so much!” She turns to find Shouyou, and sees him finish paying at the cash register. He accepts his change and turns to see Harumi beaming at him, to which he smiles even wider. “Happy?” He asks, but doesn’t even need to, he can see the happiness on her face.

“Yeah!”

When he leaves, she grasps onto his hand with her free hand, the other protectively holding the box at her side. ‘ _She’s much cuter when she smiles._ ’ Shouyou thinks, steering them towards the outskirts of town. The girl beside him hums a tune, bobbing her head from side to side as she looks at the dirt road ahead. As they continue down, Shouyou can feel the aura of battle the smaller the city behind them becomes. His grip on the small girl’s hand tightens a little, to which she looks up at him, doubt on her face. Though, at his reassuring smile, it disappears into slight excitement.

 

“So Harumi, are you ready to meet the demon?”


	3. はじめまして

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "はじめまして"
> 
> "Nice to meet you."
> 
> And so they finally meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some pretty major spoilers, so if you haven't watched up to ep. 180 in the 2015 Gintama I would highly suggest you do. Actually, if you aren't completely caught up in the series you should probably finish because some major spoilers are going to happen in the upcoming chapters.  
> Also there's some slightly descriptive things in here so if you're sensitive to that skip a bit to the middle of the chapter  
> THIS CHAPTER HAS A LOT OF FOOT NOTES AT THE END SO PLEASE GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE CHAPTER IF YOU NEED A LITTLE HELP.  
> Thanks for reading <3

_She would never forget it._

 

Well, even if she wanted to, it would make it’s way back into her mind eventually. What was the saying? Something about never forgetting something even if you couldn’t remember?* She couldn’t really recall it, which was _ironic_ , she knew. Though, she had a feeling even if she was to somehow forget, the imprint would stay deep in the recesses of her mind.

The _atmosphere_. The _aura_ , radiating from that battlefield like the heat of fire, was indescribable. The chill running down her spine, the jolt of exhilaration that took her breath away. She was shaking. From fear or from something more primal, she couldn’t tell. All she knew was that this quivering in her bones made her feel awake. Made her feel like there was clarity in her mind.

She felt **alive**.

“Watch your step now.”

Shouyou's voice makes her jump as he guides her around a lone, disfigured body, an immediately she presses closer to him. He must’ve tried running away and was killed because of that… She looks down when she steps over his severed arm, and squeezes her eyes shut when she sees a part of his bone peeking out.

Then the _stench_ hits her.

Sweet, like apples and berries, but not at all appetizing. It made her stomach churn and she felt like she was going to wretch¹. Breathing in slowly, she trained her eyes ahead of her, but regretted it when she was only met with the newly created cemetery. Katanas an arrows lay skewered in the ground like gravestones. At first it was just the swords an arrows scattered across the field, but it wasn’t a burial ground without the bodies.

She finally saw **them**.

Humans bodies, hundreds of them.

Mouths open in a scream that would be heard by none, limbs twisted in shapes she didn't even know existed. She caught glimpses of strangely colored forms, and she realized when she saw the severed head of a blue reptile looking creature that it was the cut up bodies of amanto.

"Terrible, isn't it?"

Shouyou's voice does little to assuage her slow growing anxiety, instead frightening her as they drew closer and closer. The feeling of excitement from before died, leaving only alertness and fear. The sickly sweet odor was so strong Harumi thought she was going to faint. Her heart was thrumming in her chest, and everything felt so surreal. She felt like she could see everything in front of her and behind her, felt like she could smell each individual odor of a fallen soldier. She swore she could hear sensei's heartbeat, and somewhere deep in the midst of bodies, she thought she could hear other faint hearts, beating with their final pumps of blood.

Her hand was clammy and she was sweating, jittering, trembling with the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her blood was pounding in her head like a drum. Her grip on Shouyou’s hand slacks, and her hand falls limply to her side. She hardly notices that they had stopped walking, frightened eyes glued to the sightless white pupils of a man.

"Harumi?" 

She doesn’t hear him at first, noise drowned out by the pulsating in her head. She hears only heartbeats, the sound rhythmically pumping in her head. When Shouyou says her name again, she reacts. When she looks up, the concern on his face increases, and almost immediately he kneels down to her. He places a hand on her sweaty cheek, gently smoothing it. She looks shaken, and doesn’t respond to his touch.

_Wake up Harumi. Can’t you smell that?_

"It won't be long, I promise."  
He says, but his words don’t pass through to her.

_The blood, breathe in the smell of blood._

She looks at him with blank eyes, as if not comprehending who he was.

_Kill, kill, kill._

Shouyou moves his hand to squeeze the girl’s shoulder, and she blinks, regaining herself just a little.

“We’ll find the demon and then after that we can go to your new home.”

The prospect of a new lodge to stay breaks her out of her small trance, and only energizes her a little. The animalistic look in her eyes is gone, only replaced by worry. Her hand finds Shouyou’s again and they continue to traverse deeper into the battlefield.

The throbbing in her head didn’t go away, however, and her breathing was returning to heavy breaths with each minute that passed by.

 _What was that voice?_ She grimaces. _I’ve never felt anything like that…_

Despite the small moment of energy, the anxiety overwhelms her again. She’s certain now that she could hear Shouyou’s heartbeat, a strong pump rhythmically pulsating every second and not once changing in tempo. But there was another one, further away. It was a lighter, but still vivacious and strong. It unnerved her.

_Perhaps… this heart..._

Shouyou almost didn’t hear her voice; soft, hushed, and nervous. When he looked down at her, her eyes were shifting uneasily around their surroundings.

“Is there something wrong?” He asked, eyes narrowing just slightly when she started pulling him deeper inside the battlefield.

“There’s something…”

 She murmurs, guiding him between the fallen men an aliens. Her movements are drastically different from just a few seconds ago, lithe an energetic and… animalistic. As if her senses were trained on something like a dog pinpointing the smell of prey.

She weaves through the bodies, searching for clarity in sound. She **_needed_ ** to hear it, **_needed_ ** to see it. She wanted to know who it could be. The Corpse Eating Demon? Do demons even have hearts? She lost thinking about asking Shouyou when she realizes he is pulling her in a different direction.

She sees him.

A boy, sitting on the dead body of a samurai He’s noisily eating a riceball, and Harumi only assumes he hasn’t been eating well at all. Beside him is a sword, clearly taken from one of the corpses. His hair was a bright silver color, curly and messy and dirty from blood and dust. Out of instinct, Harumi begins to slink quietly behind the grey haired man. If she had paid attention, she would have noticed that his walking was completely silent. When he stops, she grasps onto his kimono and grips her pastry box tighter to her. A crow caws and flies off suddenly, causing her to jump, but her gaze focuses on the boy. She can hear his heart beating. So so clearly.

Shouyou smiles, then reaches out to pats the boy’s head. She holds her breath.

“I came after hearing after a corpse-eating demon. Would that be you?”²

_Him? The corpse eating demon?_

Harumi peeks out from behind Shouyou, eyes connecting with the boy’s. They’re crimson, a dark ruby red that shift only briefly from the grey haired man’s gaze to her, looking surprised when she stares unblinkingly back. She wants to say something. What, she doesn’t know. But her sensei takes the words right from her.

“A rather cute demon.”

Almost immediately the boy slaps Shouyou’s hand away, jumping back with an angered glare in his eyes. _Was he distrustful of her teacher? Was he angry that the man called him cute?_

He shakily begins to draw the sword, which is obviously too heavy for him. It’s blade is soaked in blood and it looks worn and weary from years of fighting.

_Probably the latter._

“Did you also take that from a corpse?”

Harumi protectively puts her pastry box behind her back, watching the silver haired boy lick the rice from his mouth. His eyes are sharp and narrowed, searching for a spot to strike.

 _He’s obviously still hungry. He must’ve been eating riceballs and whatever food the soldiers had been carrying._  

For some reason, even though he looks (and is acting) determined and fearless, she can almost FEEL the anxiousness radiating off of him. She knows he’s frightened and as a sign to Shouyou, she grips onto his kimono a little tighter.

“A single child stripping corpses to protect himself, is it?”

He tenses.

“That’s very impressive.

The boy stands in a fighting stance, his eyes hardening at the grey haired man.

“However, you no longer need that sword.”

_No longer..?_

Harumi looks up at Shouyou, whose eyes are twinkling. They look like the same kind eyes he had when he had rescued her. He tilts his head towards her, and nudges her slightly from behind him. She stumbles out from behind him just a bit, surprise flitting across her face. She looks at the silver haired boy, who watches with sharp eyes. But to her surprise, his stance relaxes.

“A sword that’s only swung in self-defense, while fearing others,” Shouyou says, gripping onto the hilt of his sword. Harumi tenses, and looks at the silver haired boy. Fear flashes on his face as he thinks of the possibilities that could happen.

“...should be thrown away.”

The boy glares defiantly, as if angered by Shouyou’s words. He tenses his stance and is about to strike, until Shouyou pulls his sword, sheath and all, out of his belt and tosses it. Harumi watches the boy fumble and trip clumsily as he catches it, and she wants to laugh. She doesn’t, but her eyes crinkle up in a smile. The boy sees this and shoots her an angry glare, but his attention turns elsewhere when Shouyou speaks again.

“I shall give you my sword.”

Then he turns away, herding Harumi with him. She stumbles slightly, but holds the pastry box tightly as she follows. She turns her head to see the boy, standing there behind them with her sensei’s sword. He notices the cutely decorated box, but again, his attention turns to the man.

“If you wish to learn how to properly use it… Then come with me.”

Her silvery blue eyes never leave his crimson as she walks, further and further away. He blinks a few times, as if unsure of what just happened. Harumi smiles again, unable to help herself. He reminds her of herself just a few weeks ago, unsure of the journey with this man. But she was here now, and glad she was. Her eyes meet crimson, who look unsure and scared. But she simply grins and turns away knowingly.

There was a spark of hope in his crimson red dead fish eyes.

“Ne, sensei. Are we going to go home now?” She asks quietly.

Shouyou looks down at her, patting her head with a smile.

“That’s right. But we’ll have to wait on someone won’t we?”

She nods, turning again to see the boy stumbling behind them. He’s only carrying Shouyou’s sword, and looks as determined as possible to catch up with them.

She watches as the boy trips and falls over a body, but hurriedly gets up and follows behind them. He glares at her again, to which she huffs and turns her head away.

“We don’t NEED to wait do we?”

He chuckles.

“If you don’t want to, we won’t.”

* * *

And thus they continued their way until they arrived at the compound. Night was approaching fast, and the rays of the late afternoon sun were disappearing behind the trees. The boy had followed them tenaciously, and had only just caught up. Looking around tiredly, he inspected the area. It looked slightly run down, but nonetheless inviting. Harumi (ignoring the boy's heavy breaths) felt a bit of excitement as she stood outside. There was a honden and haiden, as well as as a separate dojo for swordsmanship. There’s also a well outside for water and washing up, and a few separate, smaller rooms for sleeping and personal things.³

“This’ll be your new home.”

Shouyou says, looking down at the two kids on either side of him. The silver haired boy blinks, but Harumi sighs happily, pressing against her sensei’s leg. He smiles, gently pushing them towards the school house. When they go inside, she sees that it’s a simple 8 mat house that looks quite cozy.

“This’ll be where we live now huh?”

Harumi murmurs, turning to the silver haired boy. He blinks a few times at her, nodding. She gives him a shy smile and clutches onto Shouyou’s kimono. The boy, who has yet to say his name, just looks away disinterestedly. Shouyou smiles, patting their heads.

“Study hard now, learning the way of the sword isn’t easy.”

Harumi nods eagerly, but the boy doesn’t respond. She wants to say something to him, but she instead looks towards her teacher for help.

“What’s your name?” Shouyou says, catching the girl’s eyes. The boy looks up at him, blinking.

“Gintoki. Sakata Gintoki.”

“It makes sense since your hair is silver⁴…” Harumi gestures, to which the boy reaches up and scratches his silver locks. “But it’s pretty funny. It looks like a perm too.”

He glares at her.

“A perm? What about your name? Does it have anything to do with how annoying you are?”

It’s Harumi’s turn to glare, and she puts a hand indignantly on her hip, the other clutching tightly onto the box of sweets. She immediately irked, and all signs of shyness are wiped away with the scowl on her face.

“With the way I write it, it means “spring beauty”⁵, for your information.” She spits, growling out her explanation. He scoffs, but before he can say anything Shouyou presses his hands on both of their heads.

“It’s best if the two of you wash up and sleep. Today was a long day.”

Harumi hands her box of pastries to Shouyou before stomping outside to the well. She pulls up a bucket of water with ease and splashes her face, cleaning it of the dirt she’d accumulated for the past week. Up above, the stars are twinkling above her, dancing on the stage of black. She looks up at them, her irritation easing. It was beautiful, and the first time she really stopped and looked at the sky. When she was back at her home town, she barely glimpsed at the sky because it made her feel like she was suffocating. But here, in this place, she felt free.

_I’m finally home._

* * *

 

_Shouyou sits in one of the rooms, writing something at his desk. Gintoki is leaning against the wall, clutching tightly onto the sword while snoring. Shouyou casts a smile his way, but stops his brush when he recalls the day's earlier events. Of all the things that stuck out, it was the behavior of Harumi when they first entered the battlefield. Of all the things he took careful note of... her eyes._

_A vivid magenta, with not an ounce of humanity lingering in her gaze. They were dilated like an animal smelling blood for the first time._

_Only when he shook her did they disappear, but it had chilled him to the core._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *It's a reference to Studio Ghibli! It's a quote from Spirited Away ;)  
> 1\. People call the smell of a human corpse a "chemical cocktail" because it has a distinct fruity scent to it. Gross, but just fun fact!  
> 2\. All of sensei's lines of him talking to Gin come from an actual scene in Episode 180. In fact, that entire moment is from the actual scene. It's a spoiler, but I mean if you're reading this then I'll only assume you've watched that far.  
> 3\. I kinda... made assumptions and added some things to the whole compound, just to make it somewhat livable. The real school probably didn't have those things, but I had to add that in there to help the story a little bit. I apologize for those historical inaccuracies!  
> 4\. Cause... "Gin" means silver, and Gintoki has silver hair... but you know that already.  
> 5\. You can write "Harumi" a whole bunch of ways in Kanji, and it'll change the meaning of it. It could mean "Spring Sea" or "Spring Fruit" but the particular way she writes it means "Spring Beauty".


	4. Rascals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I accidentally posted this earlier today and it wasn't finished :') my apologies! It's all ready to go now! Now that school is ending this week for me I hope I'll get to write a lot more!  
> A little short, and pretty shitty, but I'm slowly getting to the good parts ; u ; I'm hoping to make these chapters longer and more enjoyable for you guys!  
> Comments and Feedback are always appreciated!

Morning was coming. And Gin hadn't slept a wink.

He was anxious. The images of a bloody battlefield and soldiers scattered across it were still incredibly vivid in his mind. He knew the nightmares would come if his eyes closed even for a second.

He lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling, listening closely to the sounds of the night creatures. Subconsciously, he was expecting screams to pierce the air and he was being ridiculous for thinking that, he knew. He knew but he couldn't help it.

Sighing, he sat up, throwing the covers off of him. He needed fresh air to clear his mind. Standing up, he stretched his arms before going to the screen door. Opening it, he stepped out, feeling the cool wind pass by him. The cicadas were singing loudly, but as each minute passed they seemed to grow quieter. That or perhaps it was because their song was drowned out by the morning birds. Sitting down on the wooden floorboards, he stared out at the sky, watching the stars. They glowed beautifully against the dark, periwinkle blue sky, though they were fading with the light purple an orange peeking up from the horizon.

"Can't sleep?"

Gin jumped, turning his head sharply to see Harumi standing nearby. She looked tired, giving him a feeble smile before sitting down next to him, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"Don't sneak up like that." He snapped, giving her a snarl when she rolled her eyes. "I'm guessing you couldn't sleep well either?" He asked gruffly, and she laughed.

"Nightmares, that kinda thing." She replied, and his curtness faded.

"So what's your story? How'd you end up with Shouyou?" Gin asked, trying somewhat to ease their awkwardness. She didn't answer him, and he took it as a cue to drop the subject. She used it as an oppurtunity to change the subject.

"Isn't it crazy that we'll be eating actual meals now? I was sifting through garbage cans and begging for work on the streets. Now I'm eating natto and grilled fish."

Gin nodded, too tired to come up with something witty to irritate her with. Instead, he spoke of himself.

"I honestly think searching through dead bodies is better than eating natto."

Harumi scoffed in amusement (and slight horror), grinning widely. "Onigiri and such, that's a pretty good meal. You seem to like it, considering you were gorging like an animal when Sensei found you."

"I hadn't eaten in 5 days since then, could you blame me?"

"With a Silver Perm like yours, I'd imagine it'd be hard to get food."

"Silver Perm? What the hell do you mean by that?"

"With you and your curly hair why wouldn't I call you Silver Perm, _Silver Perm?_ "

"I should've said you were suited to sifting through garbage cans, bitch."

* * *

 That was how Shouyou found them, bickering from dawn til the birds began flying around for their next meal. If either of them hadn't slept, he couldn't tell. They seemed full of energy arguing with each other.

"Well, good morning to the both of you." Shouyou said, the two of them quieting down instantly. Harumi glanced curiously at the pastel blue parasol in his hand. "I have a favor I need to ask the both of you."

~

"So we need to buy books?"

Harumi nodded, looked at the list curiously. "Notebooks, pencils... that's about it."

She handed Gin the list, but he folded his hands behind his head instead. "I don't know how to read, so that isn't useful to me."

Harumi looked at him in surprise. "You don't? Well, Sensei is opening up a school, so I guess that's one thing you'll learn other than manners..."

Gin scoffed, shrugging her comment off. "I never felt the need to. I was looting bodies, not books."

She sighed, grasping onto the pouch of money tightly.

"So how come he gave you this umbrella? It's not raining or anything."

It was Harumi's turn to shrug, nevertheless tightening her grip on the handle. "I think it's to keep me out of the sun. I get a little tired when I stay out too long."

Gin hummed not in understanding, but as a sign that he was dismissing the topic. He walked closely beneath the umbrella, careful as to not brush up against her. The girl said nothing, looking around for a store.

"I think this place would sell notebooks..." She murmured, nudging him towards a store. Closing her umbrella, she went inside, looking around for notebooks and pencils. There were adults shopping for groceries, and some kids were playing around in the store. She overheard a couple of kids planning to steal some Bargain Dash, but she decided to avoid them if all possible. One of the older kids, a mean looking boy with a shaved head, snarled at her.

"What are you looking at crimson haired freak? Go somewhere else!"

She pursed her lips and looked for the items she needed.

When she found them, she handed the items and the money to the young clerk, who seemed to be a little surprised that someone as small as she was was buying books. However she handed the change and the items in a bag without conflict, much to Harumi's relief. She normally didn't like confrontation.

"Gintoki? We can go now."

Harumi stopped, looking around for him. The boy poked his head out from an aisle, a book in hand.

"What is that? Wait, didn't you say you couldn't read?" She asked, walking closer to him. He inspected the cover before going back to reading. "I don't need to read letters in a book that has mainly pictures in it." He replied, looking curiously at each page. "Do we have enough money to buy this?"

"Gintoki!" Harumi exclaimed, but Gin just shrugged. With one hand holding the supplies Shouyou had asked for, she put her free hand on her hip, looking up at him with judgmental eyes. "At the very least we should return with HIS leftover money. It's not ours. And if we WERE going to buy something, why don't we buy snacks like cake or sukonbu?"

"He never said what we could do with the leftover money." He replied, snatching the rest of the coins from her. "And sukonbu is pretty gross." She glared at him, but rolled her eyes in defeat. Truth be told, she was curious as to what kinds of stories there would be, but she would never admit that to him. Waiting patiently for him to check out the book, she notices the older kids from before eyeing the manga on the counter.

When the cashier slides the book back to Gin, the older boy with the shaved head pushes Gin aside, taking off with the newly purchased book.

"HEY! THAT ISN'T YOURS!" Harumi yells, but Gin is the one who takes off running first. Stressed, Harumi frantically looks around before giving the bag of supplies to a frazzled cashier. "I'll be back, hold onto this for me please." And she grabs her umbrella and takes off after the two boys.

It's a familiar feeling. Running, that is. Dodging the legs of adults, weaving in and out of crowds, running through narrow alleyways, carefully avoiding things being thrown at her. Instead of running away however, she is the one chasing. And it's exhilarating, she feels alive running through the streets. Like she's chasing something.

Chasing something as if she were a predator.

Her parasol trailing behind her, she catches up to Gin with ease. "I'll get him first, follow behind me!" She shouts in passing as she zooms ahead of the shocked looking boy. She doesn't feel tired, or out of breath. She feels alive.

She sees the older boy run up stone steps, and she follows behind. Not like she can miss him, since his shiny head is like a mirror reflecting light. She is so close behind him, and when he reaches the top, she throws her umbrella at him. It knocks him to the ground, and she quickly, grabs her umbrella again before catching up to him, standing over his body.

"Give it back!" She shouts, and he staggers up, shaking his head. "Make me then!" He spits, and without a second thought her body instinctively moves. Her umbrella makes contact with his face, a fist uppercutting him soon after. He's flying through the air, but the only thing Harumi is paying attention to is the book flying out of his hands.

She catches it, huffing.

"That should teach you, fucking degenerate!" Harumi snaps, kicking the boy's out cold body.

She turns around, seeing Gin's bent over body wheezing at the top of the stone steps. She walks over to him, examining the book carefully.

"All that just for... _JUMP?_ I don't understand boys." She sighed, handing him the comic book. He takes it, still breathing heavily. "Let's go back to the store, I left our stuff there with the cashier."

Gin breathes in sharply before heaving out a large sigh, scratching the back of his head. "You're awfully nonchalant after beating up that guy." He murmurs, walking back down the steps behind Harumi. She shrugs, opening her parasol. "I didn't even know you had that kind of strength. That's pretty insane."

The girl hums in thought. "I didn't know I had that strength either. I suppose it'll come in handy huh?"

Gin hums. They seemed to be doing that a lot as a way of communication. Humming. 

"Yeah... I guess it will."

* * *

"You bought _what?_ " 

Shouyou looks down at Gin, who is avoiding the older man's gaze. Harumi holds out the books and the pencils, but also refuses to meet the man's eyes.

"Well... I suppose one doesn't hurt." He sighs, patting both of their heads. Harumi beams a smile up to him while Gin simply blinks. Taking the books and pencils from Harumi, Shouyou puts them on his desk before motioning Harumi to come over. "Gin, you can go. I need to speak with Harumi for a minute."

Without hesitation Gin slides out of the door and closes it on his way, giving Harumi a glance before disappearing from behind the screen door. The crimson haired girl uneasily walks over, standing at his desk. Shouyou simply smiles warmly at her, holding out his hand. "Harumi, can I see your right hand?"

She hesitates.

Shouyou gives her an expectant look, and she gives in, showing him the redness and swelling on her knuckles. He touches it lightly, but it causes her to flinch in pain. He makes a 'tsk' sound, reaching into his kimono sleeve and taking out some bandages, beginning to wrap her hand. 

"I see you've gotten into your first fight." He remarks, to which she sheepishly coughs.

"Someone stole the _JUMP_  Gintoki bought so I... got it back." She says quietly. Shouyou chuckles, nodding.

"I see."

A few quiet moments pass, and when Shouyou finishes bandaging her hand, he grasps onto it, giving her a gentle smile. 

"You've got a great strength in you Harumi. This is just the first of many you may have. Do take care not to injure yourself too much. He wouldn't want that either." Shouyou smiles.

"Isn't that right, Gintoki?"

She girl falters for a moment, confused as to why Shouyou spoke the silver haired boy's name when Gin opened the screen door, keeping his eyes low to the ground.

"I was just grabbing the JUMP." He muttered. With knowing eyes the older man simply flashed a smile. "Run along you two. Tomorrow will be your first class, don't oversleep."

The two hummed in unison.


	5. Cuts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting for so long! I'm trying to write these chapters a bit longer for you guys ; v ; I'll work harder next time.
> 
> If you're wondering about Leafy fics, I'll be writing those again soon! Im settling into my Summer schedule <3 Thank you for being patient with me!

Harumi sat idly in the dojo, watching Gin clean the wooden floorboards.  
"You know... maybe if you’d woken up early—" " **Shut up.** "  
He shot a glare towards her, which only elicited an innocent simper from the crimson haired girl.  
"—you wouldn't be scrubbing the floors~♪" She finished in a sing song voice.  
Irritated, he ignored her and continued to wipe the floor, pushing a cloth as he sluggishly wiped the dojo down for the umpteenth time.  
"So what are you doing here, Miss 'I woke up early for our first lesson?' Shouyou said you were free to do what you wanted." Gin grumbled, pausing for a moment to stretch his back. Harumi hummed and shrugged. "After what happened in the town last week, I don't really trust going out alone. And besides..."  
She gave him a mocking grin.  
"...It's far more entertaining to watch you wipe down the floors. I can't believe he made you do this for an entire week."  
"Would you **shut up?** " He spat, flipping her off. She simply hummed, shrugging lightly. They seemed to do that a lot for communication. Humming and sighing and yelling at each other. At least, that’s what Shouyou had said.  
“He said you would shine those floors until they sparkled. They have to be clean for the students that’ll come here. Pretty exciting huh? It’ll be officially opening in a few days.”  
Gin ignored her, casting another glare her way. He ran up and down the dojo once more, tiredly collapsing on the ground halfway through. “I’m already so god damn tired…” He gave an exasperated sigh, figuratively and literally throwing the towel into a corner. He rolled over on his back before hauling himself up, heading towards the door.  
"I'm about done here. I'm going to go by another issue of _JUMP._ "  
The girl gave him a stern look, standing up and brushing her kimono off.  
"You're literally asking to get punished by Sensei you know." She reminded. "I don't mind though, I'd love to see what he makes you do next." She laughs, heading towards the door. "You're a sadist." He said, but she only grinned wider at that.  
Being closer to the door, she starts to head out first when she notices a small group of boys standing outside. Seeing her abruptly stop, Gin backed up in slight confusion, ready to mouth off until she speaks first. The look on her face isn’t friendly.  
"Could I help you?" She asked, eyes locking with the boy in the center. The other two were on either side of him, and she only presumed him to be somewhat of the ringleader.  
"Isn't this a dojo?" The boy sneered, leaning down to meet the girl eye level. Just from the sheer tone of his voice she could feel her blood begin to boil.  
"Yeah, what about it?" She answered coolly, crossing her arms. She eyed her umbrella leaning against the door, but made no move to grab it.  
"How run down. How is a tiny school like this going to make samurai?" He remarked. "And what's a puny girl like you doing here?" He taunted. "You don't belong in a dojo." Another boy added in, the same tone in his voice.  
Gin was about to speak up, but shut his mouth when he saw her knuckles turn white.  
"I don't understand what you mean." She growled lowly. She could feel her hands shaking.  
"Girls can't be samurai."  
**You can't be a samurai.**  
"Excuse me?" Harumi spat, temper flaring. Her eyes burned into the boy's.  
**Show them.**  
"Didn't you hear me the first time?" The boy snarled back.  
**Show them they're wrong.**  
"You can't be a samurai."  
**They're wrong.**

* * *

 Gin watched silently as Harumi hauled the three unconscious boys out of the dojo. He watched as she threw them on the ground. He watched as she gave one of the boys a sharp kick when he regained a little consciousness, yelling out at her.  
"A girl like you will **NEVER** be a samurai! No one will EVER take you seriously you puny bitch! You aren't a girl, you're a **FUCKING MONSTER.** "  
She silenced him with another sharp kick to the gut.  
"I don't want to see your faces here ever again." She whispered, lifting the boy’s kimono up to lock eyes with him. His face paled when his eyes met hers. She wiped her hands on his kimono and threw him back on the ground roughly. “Get out of here…” The boy shrinked back, nodding vigorously. She turned away from him, but not before spitting on the ground next to him. He scrambled up, hauling his friends with him as they ran off.  
She made her way back over to Gin and gave him a smile. Any trace of her animosity was gone, hidden behind her grin. "Well now that that’s out of the way… Let’s go now, Gintoki! I wonder what happens to Gintaman in this issue of JUMP." She gathered her parasol and opened it, swaying down the dirt road. "Gintoki? Aren't you coming?" He looked at her with his crimson eyes, tilting his head. She stared back and blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Gintoki?"  
He seemed distracted but shook his head with a sigh, catching up to her. "It's nothing." He said, though he looked over her carefully. She blinked as he leaned forward, grabbing her parasol from her. "I'll hold this... Your hands are swollen, aren't they?"  
Holding her breath, she shook her head, hiding her hands in her sleeves. "It's nothing." She echoed, reaching for the handle. "Give it back to me Gintoki!" He kept the blue parasol just out of her reach. "Just let me carry this." He said firmly, causing her to pause at the tone of his voice. "That way I can be shielded from the sun too. And besides..." He looked away when he said this, walking ahead of her. "You wouldn't want your hands to get worse, would you?"  
She stopped, staring with wide eyes. She watched him walk ahead, but gave a small smile before catching up to him.  
“So you CAN be a little nice when you want to.” She said with a laugh.  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said flatly.  
She hummed lightly in response.

* * *

 " **You bought what again?** "

The two children were sweating nervously, Harumi clutching onto the manga issue tightly. They both refused to meet Shouyou's eyes, opting to make quick glances at each other while staring up at the grey haired man. "I'll have to punish the both of you this time for going off again." He said, a strange aura around him. Sweating nervously, Harumi gasped when Shouyou lifted his hand and hit the top of Gin’s head, causing him to break through the floor with a shriek. Quivering, Harumi looked up at him, paralyzed in fear. “You kids are 100 years too early to be going off and buying things on your own.”  
And before she knew, she lay out cold on the ground next to her silver haired companion.

* * *

Gin woke up with a throbbing on top of his head, vision swaying in an out. Flinching after touching the top of his scalp, he blinked, remembering what had happened. ‘Since when did Shouyou have that much power..?’ He shivered as he held the tenderness of his head. He looked around, catching sight of the empty futon beside him. Shouyou must have put their futons together. But... 'Where did she go?' He thought, turning his head to see the room door cracked open.  
Stepping out into the moonlight, he paused, seeing the moon still high in the sky. The cicadas and grasshoppers chirped loudly, and he found it quite annoying. It was like deja vu again. Except this time he wasn't listening or expecting the screams of men on the battlefield. He was expecting Harumi's small little giggles or her heavy sighs of exasperation. Rubbing his eyes, he looked around for the crimson haired girl. He saw nothing but the trees and the compound. Walking as quietly as he could, he searched around for any glimpses of her. She was always easy to spot with her dark red hair and pale skin. In the sunlight, her hair was the color of rubies, sometimes looking like a light orange. He suddenly wondered what her hair would look like with the light of the moon shining down on her.  
“Harumi?” He whispered out tentatively. He would rather not be heard by Shouyou, especially since he’d probably get in trouble again. He heard nothing, the only answer he received being the chirping of cicadas. He kept looking, wandering to the far edge of the compound. There was a pond near there, right under some cherry blossom trees.  
As he approached, he saw a figure crouched near the water, and he recognized the red hair from across the way.  
Harumi didn’t notice his presence, unsteadily raising a dagger to a lock of her crimson red hair. She held her breath as the blade drew closer and closer, hesitating just centimeters away.  
“Oi.”  
She jumped, whipping around sharply and grasping the knife in a defensive position. Her tensed shoulders relaxed only slightly seeing the white haired boy standing a few feet behind her. His hair looked luminescent and he seemed to glow under the moonlight.  
“What are you doing?” He asked, glancing down at the bandages binding her chest. Her kimono was loosened and she was wearing some trousers that were a little big on her.  
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Harumi growled, turning away to look into the pond in front of her. Grabbing hold of a lock of hair again, this time she cut it short, right above her chest. She then took the hairs that framed her face, cutting them unevenly. It looked like someone had taken a diagonal chop.  
“You’re going to hurt yourself y’know. Your hands are already swelled up.” His voice approached as Harumi set the dagger down for a moment to inspect her hands. ‘Sensei must had wrapped them while I was sleeping.’ She thought, looking at her reflection in the water as Gin picked up the dagger. “It’s easier if someone else cuts the back…” He murmured, reaching for her crimson strands. When he grasped them in his hand, he realized how soft it was. He was surprised, considering her upbringing.  
He began cutting her hair, the gorgeous locks falling away into the pond. It was cut pretty unevenly, but she didn’t say a word. Before she could control it, tears began to stream down her face. She shed tears for every rough cut that left her crimson locks floating in the pond in front of her. He noticed her tears as he cut the strands that framed her face, but was quiet. He accidentally cut the hair framing the right side of her face shorter than the left because he was distracted, but set the knife down anyway. “This is good enough.” He breathed, but moved in front of her before she could check her reflection.  
“Listen…” He paused, trying to search for words. “You better not be doing this because of that guy earlier.” He said, eyes narrowing when she refused to meet his red orbs.  
“It’s not just that…” She murmured, her eyes watering. “I’m just...” She sighed heavily, trying to take the shakiness from her voice. “I feel if I be a guy, I’d have a lot more opportunity. The guy from before was right though. No one would ever take a female samurai seriously.” She shook her head, wiping away her tears. “I’m just scared my foster parents will find me again. I don’t want to go back to that place with them there…” She looked up at him, eyes glimmering.  
“Why are you even helping me?”  
“You just looked like you needed help.” He replied bluntly, but he reached out to wipe away a tear rolling down her cheek. Though his words were rough, the gentle and almost clumsy nature of his actions spoke louder. With his other hand, he awkwardly pat her shoulder, looking away with a sigh.  
“Just… don’t get the wrong idea, okay?”  
She blinked at him, smiling while wiping away her tears. Taking the dagger, she sheathed it, looking at her reflection again. “I’ll need a new name for my male alias…” She said softly, combing through her hair. “I’ve been thinking of Hiromi. Does that sound good?” Gin thought for a moment before nodding in approval. “I’ll be a boy from now on, so you have to start calling me “he” and “him” okay Gintoki?”  
Gin sighed, waving his hand. “Yeah yeah, I heard you.” He gestured for her to walk back to their room, resting his hands behind his head.  
“Since I’m going to be calling you Hiromi now…” He said, pausing before opening the door. She stopped, looking at the back of his head. “...You can start calling me something more casual. I guess we’re friends, right?” She looked at him, grinning widely as she pushed him inside their room. He avoided her gaze, but he still had a dusting of pink on his cheeks. “Thank you…” She said, reaching for his kimono sleeve. He didn’t look back at her, but he stopped to hear her finish.  
“...Gin.”

 


End file.
